Research Methods & Treatment Flashcards
The following questions are about what?:
- How does stress relate to the development of mental disorders?
- Do some disorders have stronger genetic components than others?
Etiology
The following questions are about what?:
- What symptoms best characterize different disorders?
- How are disorders similar to and different from each other?
Diagnosis
The following questions are about what?:
- What is the most effective treatment for a specific order?
- How do different types of treatment compare to each other?
Treatment
What kind of studies refer to the commonality of psychiatric disorders?
Epidemiology Studies
What are Epidemiology Studies?
They are studies measuring the prevalence and incidence of a disorder in a population. (can help identify risk factors)
What is Incidence?
of cases emerging in a given period of time
What is Prevalence?
Total cases in a population in a given period of time
What kind of study is an Epidemiological study?
A descriptive study. (describing without trying to predict or explain)
What is a Hypothesis?
A testable prediction that certain variables are related in certain ways. (a hypothesis can be broken down into two rival hypothesis statements)
What is a Null Hypothesis?
Prediction that no significant relationship exists
What is an Alternative Hypothesis?
Prediction that a significant relationship does exist
What are the 3 primary methods of investigation/studies used in psychopathology?
- Case studies
- Correlation method
- Experimental method
What is a Case Study?
Detailed description of a person’s life and psychological problems. (allows us to study unusual phenomena)
What are the downsides of a case study?
- It can potentially be misleading (may be the exception and not the rule)
- There can be clinician bias
What are the limitations of a Case Study?
- Internal validity
- External Validity
What is Internal Validity?
The accuracy with which a study can pin point one factor as the cause of a phenomenon. (ruling out all possible causes except for one)
What is External Validity?
The degree to which the results of a study may be generalized beyond that study.
What is Correlation?
The degree to which events or characteristics vary along with each other.
What is the measure of the direction and strength of a correlation?
Correlation Coefficient (signified by the letter “r” and ranges from -1 to +1)
What is Positive Correlation?
When x increases, Y increases
What is Negative Correlation?
When x increases, Y decreases
How can we determine whether a finding is likely or unlikely to be due to chance?
Significance Testing (finding p-value)
What does the P-value represent?
The probability of obtaining that result if the null hypothesis were true.
What is the rule of thumb when it comes to the P-value?
If p<0.05, then we can be confident that the findings reflect the true relationship in the larger population.
What is the Third-Variable Problem?
A casual relationship between two variables cannot be inferred from a naturally occurring correlation because of the ever present possibility of a third variable correlation.
What is an Experiment?
A research procedure in which a variable is manipulated (independent variable) and the effect of the manipulation is observed. (looks at causality)
What is Manipulation?
Creating an artificial pattern of variation in a variable to determine its causal powers. (we know what caused the variation because we did)
What is the Independent Variable?
The variable that is manipulated in the experiment.
What is the Dependent Variable?
The Variable that is measured in a study/experiment.
What are Confounding Variables?
-Variables other than the independent variable that also act on the dependent variable. (Irrelevant to the hypothesis, but can alter a researcher’s conclusions)
What are 3 ways to reduce confounding variables?
- Control groups
- Random assignment
- Blinding
